Mr Bishop delighted at record number of live kidney donors

Chris Bishop MP is
delighted at the increase in live kidney donors reported,
just months after his Member’s Bill, Financial
Compensation for Live Organ Donors, passed into law.

The
numbers reported by Organ Donation New Zealand on World
Kidney Day show that the number of living kidney donors
continues to increase, having a massive impact on the lives
of patients and their families.

Organ Donation New
Zealand figures show that there were 82 live kidney donors
in 2016, up from 74 the year before. Live donors accounted
for about half of the 172 kidney transplant recipients last
year.

“People who selflessly donate organs to loved ones
or strangers are heroes, and it’s wonderful to see the
number of them increasing,” says Mr Bishop.

“For
people who are suffering kidney failure, receiving a donated
organ is literally their second chance at life. World Kidney
Day is a great chance to celebrate the altruism of people
who voluntarily give up one of their own kidneys to save a
life,” says Mr Bishop.

“My Member’s Bill,
the Compensation for Live Organ Donors Act, comes into force
later this year and it significantly increases government
compensation for the heroes who go through organ donation to
save a life.

“We still have a long way to go, with over
500 people on the waiting list and a big shortage of donors.
But seeing the increase in live organ donors is a huge step
in the right direction,” says Mr
Bishop.

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